My Devon Life: Leaning on the Gate....

Stormy Weather

28th October 2013
We battened down the hatches on Sunday evening, aware that the forecasts were giving warning of a potentially damaging storm. Our preparations included moving the horsebox away from its usual parking place under the Field Maple, charging up the torches and filling several jugs and the bath (for flushing the loo) with water - this because if the power goes off the filter pump from the well shuts down (though we could draw water from the well with a bucket, it would all have to be boiled though).

Stormy Clouds - and a Rainbow over the Taw Valley

The storm hit at about 3.20 a.m. with the sound of pouring rain and a high wind waking me up. I lay listening and the wind grew stronger and louder, whooshing down the valley and roaring through the trees.

I heard something metallic clatter (turned out to be the step ladders blowing over) and I heard a branch snap. More gusts. I got up looked out the windows (couldn't see a thing, it was too dark) went downstairts, met a cup of tea. Adam was up - he & Kathy were OK. No alarming sounds from up the stable-yard, so we guessed all was OK up there.
No idea how or when the storm cleared off - I fell asleep straight away when I got back to bed and didn't wake up again until about 7.30.

No damage to report, apart from quite a few branches and leaves down, and every so often there's a gust of wind and s downpour of rain, which quickly clears...

Bright skies between the black clouds

.... it rains again ....

... and then this over the back garden!

To see a rainbow, you must have the rain.

Autumn Apples In the Orchard

And then there were windfalls.... and a good way to pick them all up....

Squidgy the Exmoor does some work (if you can call eating windfall apples work....

Except, he then found the bin where Ron keeps the bird seed - which, apparently, is far tastier than manky apples!

Perhaps we should have called him Scrumpy, not Squidgy!

Misty Mornings

Autumn is galloping in along the Taw Valley, bringing a subtle change to the trees and deep mists of a morning - some mornings I wake up and the valley has entirely disappeared, then as the sun gets stronger it is like a concealing veil is being slowly lifted to reveal the glories of th russets, golds and brown of October colour.

The front garden, in particular, has been magical

after the mist - the garden is revealed:

a beautiful sky

Wise Old Birds

My monthly journal on my website for October (rather fitting for Halloween I suppose!) is about owls - fly across and read about an exciting evening in our lane!

But first, here is some information about owls:

'Wild Owl' - Tawny Owls

for information about other British Owls go to the Wild Owl web page

The Owl Service

'Winner of both the Guardian Award and the Carnegie Medal, this is an all-time classic, combining mystery, adventure, history and a complex set of human relationships. It all begins with the scratching in the ceiling.
From the moment Alison discovers the dinner service in the attic, with its curious pattern of floral owls, a chain of events is set in progress that is to effect everybody’s lives.
Relentlessly, Alison, her step-brother Roger and Welsh boy Gwyn are drawn into the replay of a tragic Welsh legend – a modern drama played out against a background of ancient jealousies. As the tension mounts, it becomes apparent that only by accepting and facing the situation can it be resolved.'
I remember the story as rather confusing - but intriguing (it is really far more suitable for older teenagers, not a younger 9-11 year old group)

What I found fascinating was the frontispiece drawing of the dinner service (above) I remember suddenly realising that the pattern was an owl - spooked me a bit (must have done as I was about 13 and I still recall that moment of realisation!)